One look at the emotion-filled photos by Nicole Clarey, and it's clear there's something special about this Scarlet Oaks Estate wedding. The Bride, wise beyond her years, shared her one-word advice that made all the difference in wedding planning: meaning. From the head table – built by a friend for a couple to use at the wedding and in their home – to the carefully chosen wording throughout the celebration, each wedding day detail was carefully considered solely based on its meaning to the Bride and Groom as a couple. Read more about their thoughtful choices below, in the Bride's own words.

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From the Bride... When I thought about planning for our wedding, there was one word that I kept coming back to: meaningful. This word started to become a filter for how I made choices about what we would and wouldn’t include in our wedding day. It’s easy to get lost in the details (because, obviously who doesn’t love details?!), but at the end of the day, the details only matter to the degree that they help reflect the celebration and joy that is the real center of the day.

Here are some ways we wove meaningful details throughout our wedding day:

My husband and I decided to write commitments to one another that were unique to us. Not only was this super special for us, but it gave guests a deeper glimpse into our relationship and added a personal touch to our ceremony.

Our first dance song was one that my husband and I picked out together, and we loved the lyrics. We decided to order a tapestry that featured some of the song lyrics on it and use it as a backdrop at our wedding. It was such a unique piece at our wedding, and we’ve now repurposed it as a decor item in our first home together.

Our head table was built by one of the Groomsmen as a wedding gift to us. We use this table in our home now, and I love that the first meal we ever shared on it was on our first day of being husband and wife.

In the midst of planning, I came across so many invites and programs that were very traditionally worded. When we were creating our paper details, we decided to keep it simple, including text that was light-hearted and felt like us.

We ended our celebration with friends and family surrounding us, cheering us on, as we entered this next season of our life. That meaningful moment is one I will never forget.